لعمريby my life لقدindeed أَمسَتhas become حنيفةُHanifa أَيقَنَتbecame certain
لعمري لقد أَمسَت حنيفةُ أَيقَنَت
بأنthat ليسَis not إِلاّexcept بالرماحِwith spears عتابُهاrebuking her
بأن ليسَ إِلاّ بالرماحِ عتابُها
By my life, Hanifa has indeed come to know for certain
By my life! Hanifa was certain
that she can be rebuked only with spears.
That only with spears can her blame be answered
فخلواso leave clear طريقَthe path الحربِwar لاdo not تعرضواinterpose yourselves لهاin its way
فخلوا طريقَ الحربِ لا تعرضوا لها
إذاwhen مضرMudar الحمراءthe Red عبّsurges عبابُهاits surging flood
إذا مضر الحمراء عبّ عبابُها
So clear the path of war; do not stand in its way,
So clear the path of war, do not stand in her way
when the flood of Mudar the Red surges.
When the red camels bellow, their neighing rises
فياand oh حبذاhow splendid قيسQays لدىat كلِّevery موطنٍbattlefield
فيا حبذا قيس لدى كلِّ موطنٍ
تزايلpart from هامَheads القومِthe men فيهin it رقابُهاtheir necks
تزايل هامَ القومِ فيه رقابُها
And oh, how splendid is Qays on every battlefield,
Oh what glory is Qais wherever he stops
where men's heads are parted from their necks.
As the nobles scatter before her attack
ومنand who ذاthis one الذيwho لاdoes not يَجتَويloathe حربَwar عامِرٍAmir
ومن ذا الذي لا يَجتَوي حربَ عامِرٍ
أذاwhen ماemphatic particle تلاقتcome together كَعبُهاits Ka'b وكِلابُهاand its Kilab
أذا ما تلاقت كَعبُها وكِلابُها
And who is there who does not loathe war with Amir,
Who would not delight in the war of Amir
when its Ka'b and Kilab come together?
When her hooves clash with the dogs in combat
لعمريby my life لقدindeed ضاقَتgrew cramped دِمَشقُDamascus بأهِلهاfor its inhabitants
لعمري لقد ضاقَت دِمَشقُ بأهِلها
غداةَthe morning when رأواthey saw قيساًQays ترفُّflutters عقابُهاits eagle-banner
غداةَ رأوا قيساً ترفُّ عقابُها
By my life, Damascus indeed grew too narrow for its inhabitants,
By my life! Damascus narrowed for its people
the morning they saw Qays, its eagle-banner fluttering.
The next dawn when they saw Qais, her eagles soaring aloft